Just a few hours’ drive from the Belarus capital of Minsk, many villagers still live off the land. Nearly 80% of the country’s 9.5 million citizens live in urban areas, but for the rest, being close to nature can outweigh the hardships of country life. Here: Boys play in the Stviga River on a hot summer day near the village of Pogost, Belarus, August 16, 2017. (Photo by Vasily Fedosenko/Reuters)

A woman throws an object at police vehicle during clashes as people gather at the Bois de la Cambre/Ter Kamerenbos park for a party called “La Boum 2” in defiance of Belgium's coronavirus disease (COVID-19) social distancing measures and restrictions, in Brussels, Belgium on May 1, 2021. (Photo by Yves Herman/Reuters)

A security guard tries to separate a boy who hugs India's captain Rohit Sharma, right, after invading the field of play during the second one-day international cricket match between India and New Zealand in Raipur, India, Saturday, January 21, 2023. (Photo by Aijaz Rahi/AP Photo)

A girl competes during a Hobby horsing competition in St. Petersburg, Russia, on Sunday, April 21, 2024. Several dozen kids, 48 girls and one boy, from first-graders to teenagers gathered in a gymnasium in northern St. Petersburg, Russia's second largest city, for a hobby horsing competition. (Photo by Dmitri Lovetsky/AP Photo)

A sculpture of a swimming man is displayed on the banks of the Thames on September 18, 2007 in London. The new artwork, unveiled today, is to promote a new television programme set in a tattoo parlour. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)

Bees cover beekeeper Lu Kongjiang as he competes in a “bee bearding” contest on July 16, 2011 in Shaoyang, Hunan Province of China. Wang Dalin won the contest after attracting 26.86kg of bees onto his body, covered only by a pair of shorts and swimming goggles. (Photo by ChinaFotoPress/Getty Images)

Boys dressed in historical uniforms stand before a military parade in Red Square in Moscow November 7, 2014. The parade marked the anniversary of the 1941 parade when Soviet soldiers marched through the Red Square towards the front lines of World War Two. (Photo by Maxim Shemetov/Reuters)

These beautiful photos capture the tender moments between two young boys who share a unique bond with animals. Elena Shumilova, from Andreapol, Russia, began taking pictures of her sons Yaroslav and Vanya in early 2012 when she received her first professional camera. The pair were immediately accepted by the animals from a young age and their incredible bond continues to strengthen as they get older. Elena, 32, was able to capture images her boys playing with such animals as rabbits, dogs, cats and ducks as they become totally immersed in their communication with their furry friends. (Photo by Elena Shumilova)